The bird dog builds anti-rotation and anti-extension core stability while training hip extension and shoulder flexion in a coordinated pattern. It is a staple of spinal rehabilitation programs and an excellent warm-up drill for any training session.

Setup

  1. Start on all fours (quadruped) with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Maintain a neutral spine — flat back, no sagging or rounding.
  2. Brace your core as if someone were about to tap your stomach.
  3. Slowly extend your right arm straight forward and your left leg straight back simultaneously. Reach long through your fingertips and heel.
  4. Hold the extended position for 2-3 seconds, keeping your hips level and your spine neutral. Return to the starting position with control. Repeat on the other side.

Coaching Cues

What to feel:

  • Your core and glutes working to prevent your hips from rotating or tilting
  • A long, straight line from fingertips to heel at full extension

Common mistakes:

  • Hiking or rotating the hip on the extended-leg side — imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back
  • Lifting the arm or leg too high, which forces the spine into hyperextension
  • Moving too quickly and relying on momentum

Programming

Parameter Recommendation
Reps 8-12 per side
Sets 2-3
Hold time 2-3 seconds at full extension
Frequency 3-5 times per week
When to do it Warm-up, core circuit, back rehab

Progressions

  1. Beginner: Extend only the arm or only the leg (not both at the same time).
  2. Intermediate: Full bird dog as described with a deliberate pause at extension.
  3. Advanced: Add a resistance band around the feet, draw your elbow to knee between reps (crunch variation), or perform from a bear crawl position (knees hovering).